South Londoners shortlisted for awards celebrating unsung heroes
A number of South Londoners have been shortlisted for national awards that celebrate the unsung heroes of local authorities who are championing the arts against all odds.
Councillor Danny Thorpe from the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Michelle Walker from Southwark council have both been shortlisted for Hearts for the Arts Awards 2022.
Brixton-based project Raw Material Music and Media has also been shortlisted.
The community arts and creative enterprise hub focuses on music as a creative tool for self-expression.
They have supported thousands of young people and adults to create, produce, and perform new music.
This year’s winners will be selected from the shortlist by a judging panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners, including journalist and presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, comedian Shaparak Khorsandi, and actor and director Samuel West.
Mr West said: ““The pandemic has given us no respite since March 2020. Instability and insecurity still threaten the survival of our arts industry.
“I am astounded, therefore, at the achievements of the people and projects on the shortlist for this year’s Hearts for the Arts Awards.
“We hope that recognising their efforts will give the cheer of encouragement needed for local authorities, artists and arts organisations to keep going.
The work you’re doing is incredibly important – as proved by the great impact all those shortlisted have had on their participants, communities and audiences”.
Main Picture: Cllr Danny Thorpe. Credit – Royal Parks